This application relates generally to assessing a component of a gas turbine engine, and more particularly to estimating a thermal energy level of the component.
Gas turbine engines are known and typically include multiple sections, such as an inlet section, an inlet particle separation section, a fan section, a compression section, a combustor section, a turbine section, and an exhaust nozzle section. The fan section or the compression section moves air into the engine. The air is compressed as the air flows through the compression section. The compressed air is then mixed with fuel and combusted in the combustor section. Products of the combustion are expanded to rotatably drive the engine.
The gas turbine engine includes a plurality of components that operate in extremely high temperature environments. As known, absorbing excessive thermal energy from these environments can undesirably melt or otherwise damage the components. Accordingly, many gas turbine engines include cooling systems that are configured to limit the thermal energy absorbed by the components or to move thermal energy away from the components. Operating the engine wears and erodes the components, which can reduce the effectiveness of these cooling systems.
Additionally, some engines operate in sandy environments. Debris, like sand, moving through the engine can accelerate wear and erosion of the components. For example, one type of the cooling system moves air through film cooling holes established in the components. Air flows from the film cooling holes over the surfaces of the components to move thermal energy away from the component. Debris can block the flow of air from the cooling holes by lodging in the film cooling holes or glassifying over the film cooling holes. Blocking the cooling holes lessens the effectiveness of this type of cooling system and increases the thermal energy retained by these components resulting in increased metal temperatures which adversely effects the life of these components. The impact of the blocked flow of air from the film cooling holes on the component is often insidious. That is, detecting changes in the effectiveness of this type of cooling system prior to the part melting or otherwise becoming damaged is often difficult.